Roller skate



Dec. 9, 1930. J. r. SMITH ROLLER SKATE Filed April 10. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR. Jrry Z'Smz'fk,

. A TTORNEY.

Dec. 9, 1930. J. T. SMITH ROLLER SKATE Filed April 10. 1930 2 She'ets-Sheet 2 qlllll mums 'lllllllliHIIIIIIIIIIHHHmifllillllil IIIIIHIHI lllllll I INVENTOR. Jar/7 1159721177 ATTORNEY foot plate mounted for relative reciprocation,

the latter.

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED TATES. A EN OFFICE JERRY 'r. SMITH,.0IEWASHINGT01\];, ms'rnror OFCOLUMBIA nouns. SKATE Application filed April lO, 1930. serial No.f443,ii2.. I

This invention relates'to roller skates.

The primary objectofthis invention is to provide,-in amanner as hereinafter set forth,- a roller skate embodying a base plate and a and further embodying a gearing mechanism actuated by the reciprocation of the plates and operatively connected" with the ground wheels of the skate for impartingmotion to A further object of the invention is to pro vide a skate of the type aforesaid wherein a housing is provided for the gearing mechanism to protect the latter and toprovide for properand constant lubrication thereof.

7 A furtherobj ect of the invention is to provide a roller skate ofthe character aforesaid in which the relative movable plates of a pair of skates may be reciprocated alternate ly by the stroking ,actionof the user, or in which the relative movable plates may be re oiprocated in unison by means of the alternateshifting of the weight of the user from toes to heels. 1

stood that thedescription and drawings are a to betakenas illustrative and that the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereuntoappended. h

"In the drawings in which like numerals-are employed to deslgnate like parts throughout the same Figure l is a longitudinal section through a skate constructed in accordance with thisinvention.

Figure2is a side elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan thereof.

"Figure 4 is a sectiontaken on the line Referring to the drawings inxdetail, the

numeral lclesignates afoot plate having an moun'ted. "At; the rearwardend thereof the plate 1;is formed with a vertically disposed web 5 whichis of arcuate contour, open at its topandbottom,and extending above and below the plate 1 The plate is adapted to be secured to the foot of the user bymeans of a strap '6 carried by the web 5' and passing around the instep of the user,jan'd by means of a suitable toe clamp 7 secured to the toe portion 1 adjacent the bracket 2.

Pivoted to the under surface of the plate 1, adjacent the toe portion 1, is a base plate8, the rearward end of which terminates adjacent the web 5 within the vertical wall of the section '11 issecured in position on the'plate 8 by means of a plurality of holdfast devices l' lextending through thewall 12 and plate 8. The side wall 13is inwardly offset at the. sides of the section 11 whereby the upper portion 13 of the section 11 is reduced in width "and is of less width than theplate 8. The oifset in the sidewalllfifi is indicated at 14 and: is disposed at a slight downward and rearward inclination.

The lower edge of the side wall 13 inclines at a downward and rearward inclination. The lower section 12 is formed with'an open top and issecured to the upper section 11 by means of suitable holdfast devices 15which extend through lugs 16 projecting outwardly from' the section 12 and further through similar lugs 17 projecting outwardly from the section 1 1 andin registry with the lugs 16.: Preferably asuitable gasket, not shown,

jacent the sides oftheyhousing, the axleais provided with a race member 18, upon which the housing is supported by means ofbearings 19 which are formed with flanges 20 rigidly secured to the upper section 11 of the housing, The bearingsare further provided with adjustable, caps 21. whichare secured to the bearings. by suitable bolts 22 extending through. corresponding apertured lugs 22 formed on the bearings. andcaps.

Rotatably mounted on the axle 18. is a hub 23 for apinion 24 and a gear 25 both of which are preferablyformed integrally with, the hub 23., One end. of the hub 23projects, as

3 art-126, for"engagementfwith one ofthe bearings 19. A hub 28 for apinion 29 is mounted onthe shaft 18 to rotate therewith, preferably having a pin 30 extending through the hub and into the shaft. r

Forwardly 'oftthe registering recesses 20 and 21, the lower edges of the-section 11 and the upper edges of the section 12 are formed with registering recesses 31 and 32 within which is mounted a stub-shaft 33. Rotat- P ably mounted on the shaft 33is a hub 34 for a pinion 35 and a gear 36. lhe pinion 35 and gear 36 are preferably formed integrally with the hub 34 and the, latter: projects,;as at 3T, forv abutment withthe wall of the section 12 at one sideof the latter in order to'prop erly. space the gear 36 and pinion 35 from such wall to bring the pinion 35 into mesh with the gear 25, and to bring-the gear 36 intozmesh with the pinion 29;

- interposed between the hub 34 andthe wall oftlie; sect;ion 112 atthe opposite side of the latter, is a hub 38jwhich is rotatably mounted onthe shaft 33'. Mounted on the hub 38. preferably integrally, therewith, is a. ratchet wheel 39; and a gear 40. The gear. 40. is in mesh with the pinion 24and the ratchet wheel 39; is adapted to have its teeth 41 en gagcd. by the teeth 42 ofaratchetbar 43 depending from the foot plate 1. The ratchet bar 43 is formed at. its upperend with a ball 44' which is seated inasocket forming meinber45 secured'toand depending'from the lower; face of the-foot-plate.1.

lnyertical alignment with the-member455 the-base 'plate8. is provided withan opening 48:, and,,staniped from the top. wall 12 of 'theiupper section of. the housing'is a pair of downwardly-extending; guides 46 and 47, which provide; an opening registering with theopening 48; through which the; ratchet,

bar 43 slidably extends. Secured to and de pending from the guide 47 is'a leaf spring 49 which bears against the rearward face of the ratchet bar 43 to maintain the teeth 42 of the latter in engaging position with respect to the teeth 41 onthe ratchet wheel 39.

The web 5 is provided at each side thereof witha pair of spacedtongues 50 which are bent to extend inwardly beneath the base plate 8 at the side edges of the latter for abutmentaagainst the-lower face of the plate 8 to provide stops for limiting the relative diverging movement between the plates 1 and 8.

' In the'operationof my improved roller skates the foot plate 1 is normally maintained in its elevated position with respect to the base plate 8 by means of the coiled spring 9:" hen the weight of; the 11861118 shifted to the heel portion of the foot plate 1, the lattervis depressed againsttheactio-n ofthespring9 whereby the, ratchet wheel 39 is rotatedby the engagement ofthe ratchet bar 43 therewith. Thegear 40 is rotated in unison with the ratchet bar 39 and drives the pinion rotatably mounted on the axle 18, f The gear 251s rotated'in unison with the pinion 24 anddrives the pinion 35 with-which thegear 36 rotates lI1 unison to, drive the pinion 29 fixedly inounted on-the axle 1 8 to 1 rotate the latter. The; gears andpinions are constantly; lubricated by-a suitable lubricant containedwithin the housing 10. r

By stroking in theusua-l manner; the user may alternatelyoperate the skates of a pair in aamanner as above described or, 1f.de-

sired, he may'operate theskates of -a.p.air simultaneously by omitting the. stroking action and by alternately shiftirighis weight. from toes to heels Uponathe shifting of i the weight of: the user to his-toes,.thespring 9 operatestoswing the-foot plate 12 away from, the base plate 8, and upon the weight of the user being: shifted backto the heels,

the foot plate-1, 'isnioved towardthe base plate 8 to operate the gearing; mechanism as above described. Theratchet b'ar 43is; pro:

vidediat its sides with longitudinallyextend+ ing guides 52.,which project} forwardlyqof the teeth '42 into overlapping engagement with-the ratchet wheel .39. at the side: faces of the latter. to ma-intainthe ratchet bar 43 in alignmentwith the ratchet wheel 39:1ongitudinally of the skate whereby the leaf spring '49 will maintain-the teeth 421of--the ratchet bar 43 in constant mesh with the teeth 41. of

the ratchet; wheel39- 1 Owing to; the; pitch: of

.theteeth 4l; and .42, the ratchet wheel 39 will be rotated upon the downward movementof therachetbar 43,- .while; on the npwarrhmovement of the latter, 'the teeth 42 will" slide over the teeth 41.-;- s l It is thought that the many. advantages of a roller:- skate accordance with thi'sxim ventionwill be readily apparentg' and'l- -a1-' hereto.

though the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a roller skate, a pair of plates mount ed for relative reciprocation, a housing se cured to one of said plates, a web carried by p the other of said plates, a rotatable axle upon which the housing is mounted and. provided with a ground wheel, a tension element normally forcing said plates apart, saidplates being relatively movable toward each other against the action of the tension element, tongues formed on the web and extending beneath the plate to which the housing is secured to provide stop means for limiting the diverging movement of the plates, gearing mechanism mounted Within the housing for driving the axle, and means operable by the relative reciprocation of said plates for actuating the gearing mechanism.

2. In a roller skate, a pair of plates mount ed for relative reciprocation, a housing se-.

cured to one of said plates and having a portion thereof of less width thanthe plate .to which it is secured, a web carried by the other of said plates, a tension element interposed between the'plates for normally forcing them apart, said plates being relatively movable toward each other against the action of the tension element, tongues formed on the web and extending beneath the plate to which the housing is secured to provide stops for limiting the diverging movement of the plates, a rotatable axle upon which the housing is mounted, gearing mechanism mounted within the housing for driving the axle, and

means operable by the relative reciprocation of said plates for actuating the gearing mechanism. v

In testimony whereof, I afllx my signature JERRY T. SMITH. 

